Running Tips from Coach Rio

Is it your first time running? Are you worried about sustaining injuries or running out of breath even before you can reach the finish line?

Fear not as international marathoner and RUNRIO, Inc. president Rio de la Cruz shares his expertise with beginner runners in preparation for Maxicare MAXIFEST: Live Your Best Life, Maxicare’s biggest health and wellness event.

Whether you are a rookie runner or a seasoned health enthusiast, here are some pointers from Coach Rio that can help you gear up for the race:

Remember to warm-up. Aside from increasing your heart rate, a good warm-up is important because it makes your muscles flexible and gives enough oxygen to endure the physical activities you'll be doing. This will prevent your body from feeling stiff and sore after running. You can get ready by jogging or walking briskly for 20 to 30 minutes before the actual run.

Listen to your body. Push but don't force – that is what your mindset should be when running. If you are just a beginner, it is okay if you won't be able to run as far or as fast as other runners. When you feel your feet or the side of your torso hurting, take time to stop or slow down.

Learn proper running footstrike. According to Coach Rio, the way you plant your feet on the ground makes all the difference. There are three common running footstrikes: heel style, where your heel hits the ground first; the forefoot style, where you run on the ball of your foot; and the midfoot style, where most of your foot hits the ground at once – this is the most neutral running footstrike because it balances out your weight.

Try out some functional exercises. Functional training is a way to strengthen the body by doing exercises that mimic everyday movements just like lifting groceries or walking up the stairs. These exercises play a crucial role in boosting endurance, improving balance and posture, and enhancing strength and agility.

For this year’s MAXIFEST, the country’s leading HMO has partnered with RUNRIO, Inc., one of the premiere race organizers in the country, for the Maxicare MAXIFEST run which features different running courses and distances for all sorts of runners. There will also be a Maxicare Market, a one-stop shop for ready-to-eat plant-based alternatives.

The highlight of Maxicare MAXIFEST 2019 will be the attempt to set a new Guinness World Record that aims to help support the children of Kythe Foundation, the beneficiary of the event. Kythe Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit, non-stock organization aimed towards improving the quality of life among hospitalized children with cancer and other chronic illness.

Registration to Maxicare MAXIFEST is ongoing. Simply visit https://www.runrio.com/race/registration/maxifest-2019. For more info, log on to https://www.maxicare.com.ph or https://www.facebook.com/maxicarehealthcarecorp/.


Maxicare Healthcare Corporation: One of the pioneers in the health maintenance organization (HMO) industry was established in 1987 by an esteemed group of doctors and businessmen with the vision to deliver a better healthcare system. Three decades later, Maxicare has progressed into becoming the No. 1 HMO* in the country, continuously providing comprehensive healthcare programs via its wide network of medical providers and strengthened customer support.

Maxicare has more than 1.2 Million Members, more than 56,000 affiliated Doctors, more than 1,000 affiliated Hospitals and Clinics, 3,800 Dental providers, 8 Primary Care Centers and 13 Helpdesks, 9 Satellite Offices, 5 Exclusive Wings.

Maxicare Inks Partnership with Manulife

Maxicare Healthcare Corporation, the country’s leading healthcare provider, recently formed a 2-year partnership with Manulife Philippines, the largest insurance company in the country, to help make lives of Filipinos better through easy access to financial and health products. The partnership allows for cross-training of over 3,000 Maxicare agents who can now sell Manulife products and of over 9,000 Manulife Philippines financial advisors who can now include Maxicare healthcare products in their portfolio. Photo shows (L-R) Maxicare chief consumer officer Rodelee Uy, Manulife Philippines SVP and chief distribution officer Stephen Ong, Maxicare president and CEO Christian Argos, Manulife Philippines president and CEO Ryan Charland, and Maxicare chief operating officer Nelissa Badal.

For more information, visit www.maxicare.com.ph.

Maxicare Forges Ties with Lalamove

Maxicare, the country’s leading healthcare provider, recently partnered with Lalamove, the leading delivery app, to make quality healthcare more accessible to Lalamove partner drivers. Through the partnership, over 25,000 Lalamove partner drivers can avail of discounted healthcare cards such as MyMaxicare Lite, Maxicare PRIMA, and Maxicare E-Ready. Partner drivers may avail of discounted Maxicare healthcare cards at Lalamove offices in Makati, Alabang, Quezon City, and Cebu. Photo shows (L-R) Lalamove strategic partnerships manager Akiko Sumulong, managing director Dannah Majarocon, together with Maxicare president and CEO Christian Argos, and chief consumer officer Rodelee Uy.

For more information, visit www.maxicare.com.ph.

Maxicare Forges Alliance with Alorica

Maxicare Healthcare Corporation, the country’s leading healthcare provider, recently partnered with Alorica, the largest provider of customer experience solutions to the U.S. market, to provide its employees with accessible, superior, and quality healthcare.  Maxicare unveiled its newest health pod at the Alorica Makati office to provide employees fast and convenient access to healthcare services. The latest health pod is a fully automated system that manages patient-queuing, and makes gathering of initial vital signs quick, accurate, and hassle-free. With the new health pod, BPO employees have a convenient and time-saving way to get their LOA (letter of authorization). Other services include taking one’s blood pressure, temperature, and BMI (Body Mass Index). It is located at 2310 Chino Roces Ave, Makati, Metro Manila. In photo (L-R): Maxicare AVP for corporate sales Cecilia David, SAVP for corporate sales Fiona Lava, Lockton Benefits Group VO head Rhea Ablan, Maxicare VP for operations Roberto Herrera, director for compensation Blessilda Miguel, HR senior manager Raymond Alejandrino, benefits manager for employee experience benefits delivery Leslie Marie Petines, compensation manager Marvin Hernandez, client services manager Princess Gabuya, and Lockton Benefits Group AVP head for medical support services Dr. Mark Malanay.

Maxicare Makes Healthcare More Accessible to Ilonggos

Healthcare Corporation, the country’s leading healthcare provider, recently established its newest health pod in Startek Philippines, Inc., a call center and BPO in Iloilo, to ensure better access to healthcare services for its employees. The latest health pod is a fully automated system that manages patient-queuing, and makes gathering of initial vital signs quick, accurate, and hassle-free. It offers convenient and time-saving way for employees to get their LOA (letter of authorization). The latest Maxicare health pod is located at Two Global Center, Megaworld Blvd, Mandurriao, Iloilo City. In photo (L-R): Maxicare senior assistant vice president and group head of corporate sales Fiona Lava-Victoria, chief operating officer Nelissa Badal, president and CEO Christian Argos, Startek global COO Peter Martino, Startek Philippines COO Parikshat Nagpal, and Startek Philippines human resource vice president Ana Maria Magsaysay.

For more information, visit www.maxicare.com.ph.

Why TeleConsult with Maxicare?

Earlier this year, Maxicare Healthcare Corporation launched its TeleConsult service, a 24/7 hotline exclusively for Maxicare members and their dependents, that allows them to connect with Maxicare-accredited doctors any time they need a consultation.

What do you get out of using TeleConsult? Let’s take a look at some of its most important advantages.

It saves you time.

A chest pain in the night, a stomachache out of nowhere – without the advantage of consultation, these ailments often lead us to take a trip to the nearest emergency room. While it’s definitely a good idea to see a professional whenever something feels off, these trips will eat up your time, especially if you have to take a day off work for them.

With TeleConsult, a quick - call is all you need to get in touch with a doctor, explain your symptoms, and hopefully get an answer to your questions about how you feel. Of course, there will be times that your consultation will lead to a recommendation to head over to the hospital anyway, but at least it won’t be every time you have a mild headache!

It saves you money.

The aforementioned ER trips and consultations aren’t just time sinks – they eat up your benefit limit as well, which could be better used for when you have an actual disease. TeleConsult is a free service that doesn’t consume your benefit limit, leaving it open for more urgent healthcare concerns.

You get peace of mind.

There’s an old joke about self-diagnosing with WebMD: Whatever your symptoms are, you always have cancer! Self-diagnosis is never recommended, especially if you have no medical training – and even doctors with years of experience will still seek a second opinion if the patient is themselves! However, it’s still tempting to look up your symptoms online and end up with a laundry list of potential diseases, fixating on the scariest ones.

If you use TeleConsult, however, you’re assured that your symptoms are looked over by a Maxicare affiliated physician, and that you receive a professional diagnosis in turn. 

A complement to traditional healthcare channels

There’s no replacement for a face-to-face trip to the doctor, and that isn’t the goal that TeleConsult wants to achieve. Instead, it’s where you go before heading over to a specialist, or where you go if you need immediate advice for a medical condition. Over time, the TeleConsult service aims to evolve into an important part of the healthcare system, with intelligent connections to wearable health technology, health management platforms, data analytics, and more, all in the name of serving up personalized, efficient, and effective healthcare services to every member.

Are you ready for your TeleConsultation? Call these numbers whenever you need to talk to a Maxicare physician: [Landline] (02) 5821980 | [Globe] (0917) 8190840 | [Smart] (0998) 8430754

To know more about Maxicare and its products and services, check out  www.maxicare.com.ph.

*This is Press Release